Curiosity got the better of Sloane as she watched the last of their luggage being loaded onto the plane.“What happens with the cars?”
As if on cue, two men—she’d seen them around the office but didn’t know their names—emerged from the jet.They collected the keys for the SUVs and drove them off the tarmac.
Navarre turned his gaze to her.“All right, we better get going.Follow Jackson.I’ll be right behind.Don’t forget to put your left hand on the rail when you climb the stairs.”
“I won’t.”She almost gave a mock salute but resisted the urge, because Sierra would never do anything like that.
She stepped into the plane and—whoa.She’d seen pictures of what the inside of a private jet looked like, but experiencing it up close and personal elevated it to another level.Soft, ambient lighting bathed the cabin in a warm glow, complementing the wood paneling and accents of brushed metal.Plush leather seats, arranged in a spacious, ergonomic layout, offered ample room for relaxation.A state-of-the-art entertainment system boasted a huge high-definition screen that currently played nature footage of a coral reef, while the nearby bar was stocked with crystal glassware and a generous selection of top-shelf beverages.
“Sure beats flying economy, doesn’t it?”Jackson said.“Just wait until you try the seats.They have adjustable headrests and built-in massagers.You’ll never want to cram your body into an economy class seat again.”
She glanced up—and up at him.The man had to be at least six four and two hundred-plus pounds of solid muscle.“I’m surprised you’d even fit into one of those.”
“It’s possible, but it sure isn’t pretty.”He grinned, a flash of white teeth against dark skin.“One star, would not recommend.”
She laughed.“Should I sit anywhere in particular?You know, just in case anybody’s watching with a mega-zoom lens.”
He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.“Nah, you’re good.Sit wherever you like.”
She chose a window seat near the wing and—oh, yes, he was right.Soft yet supportive, it was amazingly comfortable.Every muscle in her body relaxed.No one, not even a certain grumpy guy who just walked by as if she didn’t exist, could make her body tense.
Once everyone was seated, the jet taxied onto the runway.From her spot by the window, Sloane watched as the engines roared to life, powerful yet smooth.Within seconds, the jet lifted off the tarmac, and the urban landscape gradually shrunk into a mosaic of streets and buildings.A little higher, and the city faded into the distance, replaced by white, fluffy clouds.Minutes later, the plane leveled off its ascent, and the Fasten Seat Belts sign switched off, allowing passengers to move about the cabin.
Sloane unfastened her seat belt but remained in her seat.“How long will it take for us to get there?”
“About an hour and a half,” Rosario said.“From there, it’s an hour or so drive to Ms.Page’s place.”
She’d seen pictures of Sierra’s home in one of those online celebrity sites.Nestled deep in the mountains of North Carolina, it reminded her of a ski resort: all that space, but for only one person, which seemed like a waste to her.
No matter.The house was hers for the weekend, and she planned to enjoy every last minute of it.The hardest part of the job was over.
Nothing but good times ahead.
Chapter 9
Situatedapproximatelytwelvemilessouth of Asheville, North Carolina, Thundering Hills was a small private airport with a single paved runway suitable for light to medium-sized aircraft.Though not a commercial hub, it offered basic amenities such as fuel, restrooms, and a terminal.It served as a gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains for private pilots, tourists, and businesspeople who wanted to avoid the congestion of a larger facility.
After a feather-soft landing, Sierra’s jet taxied to its designated spot near the terminal.Once it came to a complete stop, a member of the flight crew unlocked and opened the cabin door.A gust of cool mountain air greeted Navarre from his spot by the door, taking the edge off the queasiness he’d felt the entire flight.After all these years, he still felt better jumping out of a plane than flying in one.
Last he checked, the high temperature was expected to reach the upper fifties, with the overnight low dropping close to freezing.Not bad, but chilly by Florida standards.And even though he’d worked in much colder climates, he was glad he’d brought his leather jacket.
He and Jackson descended the stairs and assessed the area for potential threats.Generally speaking, private airports maintained stricter access controls than their commercial counterparts, while the limited passenger volume made them safer from a security standpoint.There wasn’t a whole lot going on at the moment, just a tanker truck parked alongside a small plane to the right, a hose from the truck pumping fuel into the aircraft’s tanks.To his left, about twenty or so feet away, were two black four-door Mercedes SUVs with dark-tinted windows.
The armored vehicles had been delivered by a specialty outfit based in Charlotte.At first glance, they looked like regular SUVs, but each was equipped with a heavy-duty frame, armor plating, bulletproof glass, reinforced bumpers, and special tires that allowed you to keep driving in the event of a flat or puncture.The added weight of the enhancements put a dent in the vehicle’s maneuverability and laid waste to any sense of fuel efficiency, but it was a small price to pay for the extra layers of protection.
A tall Hispanic man in a midnight-blue three-piece suit stood in front of one of the vehicles, his arms crossed over his chest.Late thirties, early forties at the most.Smooth shaven.Curly dark hair, conservatively cropped.His appearance—neck tattoo and all—matched the picture sent by the rental agency.So far, so good.
No photographers in sight, which was always a good thing.
Seeing no threats, Navarre gave the all clear signal for the rest of the group to exit the plane.Rosario came out first, with Sloane following close behind.Garrett brought up the rear.
At the base of the steps, Sloane zipped up her shiny pink jacket, for which he gave a silent thanks because the pushup bra under her tight-fitting blouse was wreaking havoc on his concentration.
“Are those our rides?”she asked him.
“You got it.”
They watched as Jackson approached the guy in the suit.After a brief conversation, the guy handed over two sets of keys.They shook hands, and as the guy headed for the terminal, Jackson used one of the keys to unlock and open the rear passenger side door to the vehicle closest to the jet.He looked their way and gave a curt nod.
